The Domesday Book is a great land survey from 1086, commissioned by William the Conqueror to assess the extent of the land and resources being owned in England at the time, and the extent of the taxes he could raise. The information collected was recorded by hand in two huge books, in the space of around a year. William died before it was fully completed. Domesday provides extensive records of landholders, their tenants, the amount of land they owned, how many people occupied the land (villagers, smallholders, free men, slaves, etc.), the amounts of woodland, meadow, animals, fish and ploughs on the land (if there were any) and other resources, any buildings present (churches, castles, mills, salthouses, etc.), and the whole purpose of the survey - the value of the land and its assets, before the Norman Conquest, after it, and at the time of Domesday. Some entries also chronicle disputes over who held land, some mention customary dues that had to be paid to the king. The numbers are not necessarily true values of land and livestock but represent comparative scales for the purposes of assessing liabilities for tax.
The following translation is for the area of Wangford Hundred now occupied by the Nine Parishes. It comes from the Penguin Edition of Domesday Book. Elmham
1 In Elmham 40 acres. They belong to the church of Rumburgh. 6 borders and 1 plough. Woodland for 6 pigs. It is in the valuation of the same.
2 In Elmham 15 acres worth 30d.
3 Godric, a free man commended to Ralph the staller, held Elmham with 40 acres as a manor. Then as now 2 villans and 1 border and 1 slave, 1 plough in demesne and half a plough belonging to the men. Woodland for 4 pigs, 2 acres of meadow. The fifth part of 1 mill. 1 church with 8 acres and the fifth part of 1 church with 6 acres, worth 12d. Then it was worth 7s, now it renders 20s. And under him 2 free men with 5 acres and half a plough in the same valuation.
4 In Elmham 1 free man under the commendation and soke of Bishop Aethelmer [held] 40 acres as a manor and 4 bordars. Then as now 1 plough. 2 acres of meadow. Woodland for 8 pigs. 1 church with 6 acres. And under him 3 free men under the same commendation with 6 acres and half a plough. Then it was worth 10s., now it renders 12s.
5 In the same vill 1 free man, Alwine, under the commendation and soke of Aethelmer [held] 40 acres as a manor. 2 bordars. Then 1 plough, now a half. 2 acres of meadow. Then it was worth 6s., now l0s. 8d. Also in the same place 10 free men under the commendation and soke of the same person [held] 60 acres. Then as now 1 plough. 2 acres of meadow. Then it was worth 10s., now it renders 14s. In the same place 10 free men under the same commendation [held] 34 acres. Then 3 ploughs, now 2. Then it was worth 10s., now it renders 20s. It is 1 league long and a half broad. In geld 20d. Others hold [land] there.
6 William holds Elmam from the bishop, which Alwine, a free man under commendation to Ingvar, a thegn, held TRE with 2 carucates of land and 20 acres. Then villans, now 4. Then 11 bordars, now 20. Then 4 slaves. Then in demesne 3 ploughs, now a half . 1 horse, 7 head of cattle, 30 pigs, 13 sheep and 30 goats. Then 6 ploughs belonging to the men, now 3 and a half. 11 acres of meadow. Woodland for 30 pigs. 1 church with 40 acres of free land and half a plough. Then it was worth [..]s., now £4. In the same place 1 free man, Bondi, commended to Bishop Aethelmer, [held] 60 acres as a manor. And 2 villans and 2 bordars and 1 plough in demesne. Then 1 plough belonging to the men, now a half. acres of meadow. And under him 2 free men with 7 acres. Then 1 plough, now a half. Then it was worth l0s., now 13s. Also in the same place 1 free man under the commendation and soke and sake of Stigand [held] 30 acres as a manor. Then as now 2 villans and 1 plough. 1 plough belonging to the men. 2 acres of meadow. Woodland for 8 pigs. Then it was worth 8s., now l0s. 8d. In the same place 1 free man, Alwine, commended to Eadric of Laxfield [held] TRE 30 acres as a manor. Then 2 bordars, now 3. Then as now half a plough. acre of meadow. Woodland for 8 pigs. And under him 2 free men with 4 acres and half a plough. Then it was worth l0s., now the same. William Malet was seised [thereof] on the day when he died. In the same place 25 free men commended to Bishop Aethelmer [held] 11 carucates of land. Then 8 ploughs, now 6. And 6 acres of meadow. Woodland for 16 pigs. Then it was worth 30s., now 40s. 3 churches with 30 acres, worth 5s.
Homersfield
7 Bishop Aethelmer held Homersfield TRE [as] 1 manor with 5 carucates of land. Now Bishop William holds it. Then as now 16 villans and then as now 12 bordars. Then as now 4 slaves. Then 2 ploughs in demesne, now 3. Then 10 ploughs belonging to all the men, now 5, and 5 could be restored there. 12 acres of meadow. Then woodland for 600 pigs. now 200. 1 mill. 1 church with 12 acres. 3 horses when he acquired it, and now. Then as now 6 head of cattle. Then as now 26 pigs. 200 sheep. Then it was worth £12 with the soke, now it renders £16. Over the ferling of [South] Elmham Bishop William has soke and sake apart from over the men belonging to Bishop Stigand. And Abbot Baldwin] according to the testimony of the Hundred had a writ from King Edward [stating] that he ought to have had soke and sake over St Edmund's land and over his men.
8 1 free man commended to Aethelmer held Homersfield with 40 acres as a manor. Then as now 2 bordars. Then 2 ploughs, now 1; 2 acres of meadow. 1 church with 30 acres. Then it was worth 6s. 8d., now 9s. 4d. Also in the same vill 23 free men with 80 acres. Then 6 ploughs, now 5. Then it was worth 40s., now 30s. It is 1 league long and a half broad. In geld 20d.
Flixton
9 In Flixton 1 free man, Eskil, under the commendation and soke of Bishop Stigand, [held] 30 acres as a manor. 1 bordar. Then as now 1 plough. 2 acres of meadow. The fifth part of one mill. Then it was worth 8s., now it renders l0s. 8d. In the same place 8 free men under the commendation and soke and sake of Bishop Aethelmer [held] 107 acres. Then 2 ploughs, now one and a half. Half a church with 12 acres. Then it was worth 10s., now it renders 31s. 4d.
10 In Flixton 1 free man, Beorhtnoth, commended to Aethelmer [held] 30 acres as a manor. And 4 bordars. Then as now 1 plough and half a [plough] belonging to the men. 2 acres of meadow. Woodland for 4 pigs. Then it was worth 5s. 4d., now 20s. Also 3 free men under commendation and soke and sake to Aethelmer [held] 38 acres. Then as now 11 ploughs. Woodland for 4 pigs. 3 acres of meadow. Then it was worth 6s., now 11s. 8d. William de Noyers holds all this from the bishop. Also in the same vill 1 free man under the commendation and soke of Stigand [held] 30 acres as a manor. Then 2 bordars, now 8. Then 1 plough, now 2; 2 acres of meadow. Woodland for 4 pigs. And under him 1 free man with 16 acres. Then half a plough, now 2 oxen. Then it was worth 10s. and now the same. The same William [holds this].
11 In Flixton St Michael held in alms TRE 1 carucate of land. Then 13 bordars, now 8. Then as now in demesne 1 plough. Then 4 ploughs belonging to the men, now 1. Woodland for 8 pigs. 4 acres of meadow. Half a mill. Then as now worth 20s. The soke [belonged to] Stigand.
Carucate:- Derived from the Latin word caruca, meaning plough, this is a measure of land used in Danelaw (North and Eastern) counties in Domesday. Approximately 120 acres and represented the amount of land which could be ploughed by one plough team. Also used in Domesday for customary assessment.
Geld:- Geldum Periodic tax, first raised for the Danish wars, at a number of pence per carucate.
Villans:- Villagers
League: Measurement of distance, 12 furlongs or about 1.5 miles
TRE: tempora regis Eduardis In the time of King Edward the Confessor
Stigand: In 1043 Edward appointed Stigand to the see, or bishopric, of Elmham. Four years later, in 1047, he was appointed to the see of Winchester and then in 1052 to the archdiocese of Canterbury, which Stigand held jointly with that of Winchester.
Domesday provides extensive records of landholders, their tenants, the amount of land they owned, how many people occupied the land (villagers, smallholders, free men, slaves, etc.), the amounts of woodland, meadow, animals, fish and ploughs on the land (if there were any) and other resources, any buildings present (churches, castles, mills, salthouses, etc.), and the whole purpose of the survey - the value of the land and its assets, before the Norman Conquest, after it, and at the time of Domesday. Some entries also chronicle disputes over who held land, some mention customary dues that had to be paid to the king. The numbers are not necessarily true values of land and livestock but represent comparative scales for the purposes of assessing liabilities for tax.
The following translation is for the area of Wangford Hundred now occupied by the Nine Parishes. It comes from the Penguin Edition of Domesday Book.
Elmham
1 In Elmham 40 acres. They belong to the church of Rumburgh. 6 borders and 1 plough. Woodland for 6 pigs. It is in the valuation of the same.
2 In Elmham 15 acres worth 30d.
3 Godric, a free man commended to Ralph the staller, held Elmham with 40 acres as a manor. Then as now 2 villans and 1 border and 1 slave, 1 plough in demesne and half a plough belonging to the men. Woodland for 4 pigs, 2 acres of meadow. The fifth part of 1 mill. 1 church with 8 acres and the fifth part of 1 church with 6 acres, worth 12d. Then it was worth 7s, now it renders 20s. And under him 2 free men with 5 acres and half a plough in the same valuation.
4 In Elmham 1 free man under the commendation and soke of Bishop Aethelmer [held] 40 acres as a manor and 4 bordars. Then as now 1 plough. 2 acres of meadow. Woodland for 8 pigs. 1 church with 6 acres. And under him 3 free men under the same commendation with 6 acres and half a plough. Then it was worth 10s., now it renders 12s.
5 In the same vill 1 free man, Alwine, under the commendation and soke of Aethelmer [held] 40 acres as a manor. 2 bordars. Then 1 plough, now a half. 2 acres of meadow. Then it was worth 6s., now l0s. 8d. Also in the same place 10 free men under the commendation and soke of the same person [held] 60 acres. Then as now 1 plough. 2 acres of meadow. Then it was worth 10s., now it renders 14s. In the same place 10 free men under the same commendation [held] 34 acres. Then 3 ploughs, now 2. Then it was worth 10s., now it renders 20s. It is 1 league long and a half broad. In geld 20d. Others hold [land] there.
6 William holds Elmam from the bishop, which Alwine, a free man under commendation to Ingvar, a thegn, held TRE with 2 carucates of land and 20 acres. Then villans, now 4. Then 11 bordars, now 20. Then 4 slaves. Then in demesne 3 ploughs, now a half . 1 horse, 7 head of cattle, 30 pigs, 13 sheep and 30 goats. Then 6 ploughs belonging to the men, now 3 and a half. 11 acres of meadow. Woodland for 30 pigs. 1 church with 40 acres of free land and half a plough. Then it was worth [..]s., now £4. In the same place 1 free man, Bondi, commended to Bishop Aethelmer, [held] 60 acres as a manor. And 2 villans and 2 bordars and 1 plough in demesne. Then 1 plough belonging to the men, now a half. acres of meadow. And under him 2 free men with 7 acres. Then 1 plough, now a half. Then it was worth l0s., now 13s. Also in the same place 1 free man under the commendation and soke and sake of Stigand [held] 30 acres as a manor. Then as now 2 villans and 1 plough. 1 plough belonging to the men. 2 acres of meadow. Woodland for 8 pigs. Then it was worth 8s., now l0s. 8d. In the same place 1 free man, Alwine, commended to Eadric of Laxfield [held] TRE 30 acres as a manor. Then 2 bordars, now 3. Then as now half a plough. acre of meadow. Woodland for 8 pigs. And under him 2 free men with 4 acres and half a plough. Then it was worth l0s., now the same. William Malet was seised [thereof] on the day when he died. In the same place 25 free men commended to Bishop Aethelmer [held] 11 carucates of land. Then 8 ploughs, now 6. And 6 acres of meadow. Woodland for 16 pigs. Then it was worth 30s., now 40s. 3 churches with 30 acres, worth 5s.
Homersfield
7 Bishop Aethelmer held Homersfield TRE [as] 1 manor with 5 carucates of land. Now Bishop William holds it. Then as now 16 villans and then as now 12 bordars. Then as now 4 slaves. Then 2 ploughs in demesne, now 3. Then 10 ploughs belonging to all the men, now 5, and 5 could be restored there. 12 acres of meadow. Then woodland for 600 pigs. now 200. 1 mill. 1 church with 12 acres. 3 horses when he acquired it, and now. Then as now 6 head of cattle. Then as now 26 pigs. 200 sheep. Then it was worth £12 with the soke, now it renders £16. Over the ferling of [South] Elmham Bishop William has soke and sake apart from over the men belonging to Bishop Stigand. And Abbot Baldwin] according to the testimony of the Hundred had a writ from King Edward [stating] that he ought to have had soke and sake over St Edmund's land and over his men.
8 1 free man commended to Aethelmer held Homersfield with 40 acres as a manor. Then as now 2 bordars. Then 2 ploughs, now 1; 2 acres of meadow. 1 church with 30 acres. Then it was worth 6s. 8d., now 9s. 4d. Also in the same vill 23 free men with 80 acres. Then 6 ploughs, now 5. Then it was worth 40s., now 30s. It is 1 league long and a half broad. In geld 20d.
Flixton
9 In Flixton 1 free man, Eskil, under the commendation and soke of Bishop Stigand, [held] 30 acres as a manor. 1 bordar. Then as now 1 plough. 2 acres of meadow. The fifth part of one mill. Then it was worth 8s., now it renders l0s. 8d. In the same place 8 free men under the commendation and soke and sake of Bishop Aethelmer [held] 107 acres. Then 2 ploughs, now one and a half. Half a church with 12 acres. Then it was worth 10s., now it renders 31s. 4d.
10 In Flixton 1 free man, Beorhtnoth, commended to Aethelmer [held] 30 acres as a manor. And 4 bordars. Then as now 1 plough and half a [plough] belonging to the men. 2 acres of meadow. Woodland for 4 pigs. Then it was worth 5s. 4d., now 20s. Also 3 free men under commendation and soke and sake to Aethelmer [held] 38 acres. Then as now 11 ploughs. Woodland for 4 pigs. 3 acres of meadow. Then it was worth 6s., now 11s. 8d. William de Noyers holds all this from the bishop. Also in the same vill 1 free man under the commendation and soke of Stigand [held] 30 acres as a manor. Then 2 bordars, now 8. Then 1 plough, now 2; 2 acres of meadow. Woodland for 4 pigs. And under him 1 free man with 16 acres. Then half a plough, now 2 oxen. Then it was worth 10s. and now the same. The same William [holds this].
11 In Flixton St Michael held in alms TRE 1 carucate of land. Then 13 bordars, now 8. Then as now in demesne 1 plough. Then 4 ploughs belonging to the men, now 1. Woodland for 8 pigs. 4 acres of meadow. Half a mill. Then as now worth 20s. The soke [belonged to] Stigand.